Daily Yellowstone journal., 1887-05-12
a o OF THREAD.


What Cotton Goes Through Before IL
Reaches the Needle.
Few people ever stop to think 81 the
twistings and turnings and TIN various
processes that cotton fiber rucs through
after it is taken from the pods before II Is
wound up on a spool and ready for the
housewives needle. The whole story is
told. however, in n small space in one Of
the cases in the hall in the National
museum given up 10 an exhibition Of
textile fahrics. This is one Of the many
object lessons in the museum, which,
combined. are intended TO tell TIE story
of n man as he exists on the earth.
First is shown "A specimen Of cotton in
the pod Just rs it is picked, without hav-
ing the seed removed. Next is shown a
specimen of the same cotton after il has
been ginnrd and the black seeds have been
removed. The Sea Island cotton is used
for thread on account of the length of the
fiber. \ sample of the sacking in which
the cotton is halcl is also shown. Then
the cotton is supposed To have been haled
and shipped To the thread factory. Here
the first thing that is done with the cot
ton is Ia subject it 10 the picker pro-
cess, by which the cotton from several
bales is miNel to secure uniformity. Dur
ing the picker process much waste, in the
form of dust, dirt and short fibers, are
separated from the good ibers by the
picker. Next the picked cotton is
wound on a machine, in sheets or laps,
into a roll.
The next process illustrated by a prac-
teal exhibit is the carding by which the
sheets Of cotton are combed or run out
into long parallel fibers. The cotton is
next seen drawn through a trumpet
shaped opening, which condenscs il into
a single strand or silver" Then eight
such silvers are run together into M six
of the strands thus produced are drawn
into one. and again six of the strand,
from the last drawing are combined into
one. Then comes the slubbing or fast
rowing process, which consists of wind
ing the strand and bohhin. Two strands
are twisted and again wound mi a lphbin.
After q number Of other twistings AMI
windings. during which the strand i
gradually reduced in size, until il begin,
to assume a thread like appearance, two
strands of this fine rowing are run to-
gether and twisted. under considerable
tension. on a bobbin that makes 1000
. revolutions a minute. Two Of the cord,
thus produced are then wound together or
Il spool. and then twisted from that 10
another spool. Tie two cord thread thu,
produced is transferred thence 10 another
spool. and then three threads Of two cord,
each are twisted together. forming siN
cord thread.
One who has followed the process See
the cotton gradually transformed from 4
wide hand or sheet Of loose cotton 10 a
compact thread that will pass through
the eye of a needle. The six cord thread
is at last taken from IA bobbin and reeled
into a skein. in which form it is bleachet
or dyed. Then il is wound back upor
the skein upon a big spool, from whicl
it is supplied TO little white birch spool
from which it is wound in regula
courses. and is then ready for the market
The machine that regulates the last wind
ing measures the number Of yards wount
ON each spool. The spools are made q
various sizes 10 hold from 200 TO IL. 00l
yards of thread. The labels that dec
crate the end of the spools when they ar
sold are last put on. They are cut an'
pasted on by machinery with grea
rapidity Washington Star.